Quick Answer
How many teens use Instagram in 2025?
According to the latest data, 72% of teens use the Instagram platform.
If you’re using Instagram for marketing, you need to know who’s using the social media platform and how they use it.
With over 1.44 billion users who are active each month, Instagram is a treasure trove of audiences to which you can market.
If you’re promoting products and services geared towards teenagers, you need to know how many young people use Instagram.
If you’re a parent with a teen that uses Instagram, you need to know how to protect them against predators and bullying.
Unfortunately, some parents are unaware that their teenager is using Instagram, or that their child has a ‘secret’ account they try to hide from the parents.
Also, there are parents who don’t realize that there are features on Instagram that help protect teens.
We’ll answer the focus question first, share some data and statistics, and answer some questions about marketing and protecting them on Instagram.
How Many Teens Use Instagram in 2025?
According to the latest data, 72% of teens use the Instagram platform.
73% of teens said that Instagram is how brands reach out to them regarding new promotions and products.
Oddly, only 25% of American teens claim that their favorite social media platform is Instagram.
As far as other social media platforms, teens barely use Facebook anymore. Instagram is their third favorite choice behind Snapchat and TikTok.
Young adults and teens are drawn to the visual aspects of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
Still yet, teenagers are using Instagram more than Facebook, which is important for marketers to know.
However, if you’re marketing to their parents, Facebook is another good source for marketers.
Instagram used to be the preferred social media outlet of teenagers to young adults. Since that time, Millennials and Baby Boomers have joined the crowd, making this platform one of the most diverse for marketers.
For parents, Instagram and other social media sites favored by today’s teenagers have become somewhat risky without proper restrictions in place to protect them.
How Does the Number of Teens Affect Instagram Marketing Efforts?
Since 2018, Instagram itself spends the largest portion of its budget on marketing to teenagers, according to The New York Times.
It was reported that the platform’s 2021 annual ad budget was $390 million.
A lot of this is because Instagram is trying to keep teens on the platform, so they can avoid the teen exodus as seen on Facebook in recent years.
From a marketing standpoint, knowing that over 40% of Instagram’s users range from 22 years and under is an important demographic for strategy creation. American teens on the platform spend 50% more of their time on Instagram over Facebook.
It seems that Instagram’s teen audience is waning and being taken by social media competitors.
The breakdown of teenagers’ use of favored social media platforms rankings looks like the following.
- 35% of teenagers claim that Snapchat is their favorite platform.
- 30% of teens say that TikTok is their favorite platform.
- 22% of teens report that Instagram is their favorite platform.
Instagram is reportedly emphasizing the 13- to15-year-old group in its current marketing efforts to prevent further loss of the teen audience.
What is the Impact on Them?
Now we know that Instagram still has a teen market, though it’s less than it was in 2017.
We understand how teens affect marketing efforts, and how the platform is spending most of its global budget for marketing on targeting teens.
However, what do we know about how Instagram is believed to impact teenagers?
Here is some information about the effects of Instagram on teenagers that every parent should know.
There are several benefits of using social media, including Instagram. There are also risks. This is the way of everything we do in life. Perhaps that’s why ‘everything in moderation’ is a thing.
A study from 2018 by the University of Minnesota shows the benefits and risks of general social media, so it relates to parents and marketers.
Here Are Some Benefits Reported by The Study:
- Being online opens up doors for connections and informational research.
- Teens consider the Internet a place for hanging out with friends.
- They use websites and social media to find out about television shows, movies, celebrity athletes, and music groups.
- Teens use instant messaging for communication.
- Teenagers use social media for gathering information about colleges and universities they are considering.
Teens seem to turn to the Internet first to find information across a variety of resources, including social media sites like Instagram.
They use it to find out about brands and the latest trends, according to surveys and polls.
Here Are the Findings for Risks:
- Bullying, cyberbullying, from things that happen at school or from some otherwise benign joke that turns into a rumor.
- Social media accounts are used by college admissions recruiters and personnel as well as employers to screen out applicants who post questionable or negative comments or information.
- Teens that heavily use social media can become addicted, which requires therapy.
- Potentially harmful or inappropriate relationships can be forged, resulting in physical or mental harm, or that can become fatal.
- Heavy use of social media is reported to create high rates of depression, eating disorders, and low self-esteem.
- Exposure to vaping and alcohol marketing that tends to normalize dangerous behaviors.
- Cyberbullying that turns into violent, racist, indecent, or demeaning comments or messages that can convert into harassment.
Parents are always advised to monitor their teen’s activities such as where they go, who they are with, what they’re doing, and how they are using social media sites like Instagram.
The first step for parents is communication.
They need to start by teaching their children about the risks of using social media and the Internet, so teens can be aware of the risks.
What Safety Features Are on Instagram to Help Protect Your Teens?
In 2021, Instagram introduced new safety settings directed at protecting teens. Any person under 16 is private by default.
This also blocks certain adults from being able to engage with teenagers on Instagram.
The feature also restricts advertising that can target teens. It’s imperative for parents to be knowledgeable and involved in ensuring the safety and security of their teens.
Conclusion
Now that you have the most updated information available regarding what percentage of teens use Instagram and how it affects marketing and teenagers, you can be prepared to protect them.
You can also understand how some advertising is not good for teens, but there are other products and services that are good for them.
This is mostly a matter of preference and perception.
If you are a marketer, you can now be aware of using best practices for marketing to teens.
If you’re a parent, you are now better informed about the risks of using Instagram, and how you can get involved to protect your children.
We hope this information is and will be helpful to you no matter how it may affect you.
